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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23855653">An Impossible Task</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyChangling/pseuds/ShyChangling'>ShyChangling</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Extraction [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red vs. Blue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Gaslighting, Gen, Not Really Character Death, Psychological Torture, Repetition, Self-Harm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:41:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23855653</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyChangling/pseuds/ShyChangling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The repeating of the simulation. The mixing scenarios. Confusing distortion.</p><p>Alpha isn't even sure what he's supposed to actually be doing.</p><p>"Make sure everyone lives"</p><p>But how can he do that when the Director won't let him and keeps changing the situation.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Extraction [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719058</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Impossible Task</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorcio/gifts">donprisciotte (sorcio)</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I seem to of gone from Can't write anything to "Shit I have so many story ideas help me."</p><p>Anyway this fic is gonna get rough. Thanks donprisciotte for the fic idea!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something was very wrong. Ever since Beta was removed from his presence, the Director had changed.</p><p>He wouldn't joke with him any more he wouldn't banter.</p><p>The Director would simply shut off Alpha's focus and chat with the Counselor.</p><p>Its lonely those three days. When the  Director says nothing to him and Alpha can't even seem to turn on to locate the other.</p><p>Alpha then wished simply for the fact he never wanted to see the Director's face again. As he finds himself in a smaller container for his data.</p><p>A world blossoms forth and Alpha projects into this reality confused. Conflicted and asking for advice.</p><p>"Where's Beta!?" Now that he can finally speak to the Director he can ask that question. "Where did you take her?"</p><p>The Director only chims in with an order. "We are going to be layering scenarios for the safety of our crew and agents, Alpha."</p><p>"I want to know where the fuck you took Beta, first."</p><p>There's silence for the moment. Alpha can hear them still. The counselor and Director acknowledging each other but leaving Alpha lone with his questions.</p><p>"We can stop this at any time. There is no shame if you are unable to do this."</p><p>The Director is silent still and then speaks. "I do not need your gestures of pity, Counselor."</p><p>"Answer me! I'm still right here dammit!" Alpha shouts angrily at them.</p><p>They are silent and suddenly the Director chims back in. "We are beginning the test, Alpha. Do your best to keep everyone alive."</p><p>"Alive? Like what I've done for the past three years!?"</p><p>And the area grows dark. Alpha finds himself in the middle of the MOI. The hallways, everything. Like he's physically there in body and mind. Not just the circuits of the system. "Church! Please. Just tell me what I'm doing!? I can't prepare if I don't have-"</p><p>There's live fire down the hall. Alpha turns violently to it and makes a dart towards it. Fine, if They need him to pass this test before he finds answers on Beta he'll play their game. But he won't let them live it down.</p><p>He nearly trips over himself as he reaches the corner. He realizes he's not given armor in this simulation. Who cares. He can't really be hurt, but its irresponsible of the Director to tell him to protect people when he's not given weapons ro armor to keep himself safe either.</p><p>He stops dead in his tracks as he finds a woman in black armor fighting what looks to be Sangheili elites.</p><p>He shouts to her instantly knowing who she was. "Beta!" </p><p>She turns briefly and is shot through the head point blank.</p><p>Alpha freezes. "NO WAIT RESET! RESET!!!"</p><p>"BETA!! Director reset before its too late!"</p><p>There's speaking on the outside. One that Alpha is ignored for.</p><p>--<br/>
The Counselor daps a cloth into cold water. Dabbing it over the Director's wrists. "That didn't seem very smart, of either of you."</p><p>There's silence again. They hear Alpha screaming towards them from inside the simulation.</p><p>"If this is too much for you."</p><p>"Be silent. We are resetting. Alpha will simply need to try again."</p><p>"And your wrists?"</p><p>The Director doesn't respond and resets.</p><p>--</p><p>Alpha is further back then he started from in the first iteration of the simulation. He won't call to Beta. He'll just take the hit instead.</p><p>He runs down the hall as he hears the guns start up again. What can be considered his pulse is racing. His data coming up with so many ways to save her in this. He doesn't understand why he's forced to do it this way when he's meant be the ship itself.</p><p>That's how he protects them all. That's what he's meant for. The ship! Not given a body for-</p><p>He doesn't make it in time. As a different body falls to the floor.</p><p>Wait no.. Beta was meant to be fighting here. Who is this. He stands there stunned trying to discern the armor colours. Its teal, cyan? Agent.... Carolina?</p><p>He's frozen in place and the Sangheili starts to move towards him.</p><p>Alpha can't say a thing. He doesn't move. He feels words die in his throat.</p><p>But he hears the Director speak.</p><p>"Do you not want to save them?"</p><p>--</p><p>It resets. And Alpha is even farther away. He takes no time. And runs. Everything keeps flashing. Carolina, Beta. Carolina, Beta.</p><p>Repeating. Twisting. They're both there. There's no one. Beta has broken the arms on Carolina.</p><p>Carolina has shot Beta through the back.</p><p>There's no more Sangheili in the simulation. Not when its twisted into Agent fighting agent.</p><p>Alpha keeps running though. Each time it resets. </p><p>They're both dead on the ground and Alpha feels like screaming.</p><p>--</p><p>"Director, I think perhaps. You should slow it down."</p><p>"Do not lecture what is good for me."</p><p>The Councilor silences himself as he goes for the reset button and goes to retrieve bandages.</p><p>--</p><p>Alpha reimmurges into existence in the simulation. He's at the original starting point. He's got a gun. And he keeps running. There's still no armor but that didn't matter.</p><p>He finds the simulations Carolina and the Simulation Beta as he runs down further the other hall. He sees Beta in one room battling multiple enemies. He sees movement behind and Carolina is in the same predicament. </p><p>He hears a slice over the simulation. And shuffling. Confused arguing that Alpha can't discern any more as they are mumbling.</p><p>The doors on either side of himself are closing.</p><p>Alpha goes into panic. Only one can be saved here. And he shouts at the Director for making this simulation as it was. There was only wrong answers but Alpha knew there was one thing he could do that the Director would never choose.</p><p>Because Beta was perfect. She will survive. </p><p>And Alpha slides into the room with Carolina only to find her shot just as he enters.</p><p>The door slams shut and Alpha shoots the algorithmic enemy. He turns and tries to pick up the scattering data of  Carolina. </p><p>He hears a shot in the next room. </p><p>And feels his face contort. The Director wanted him to choose Beta over Carolina.</p><p>Yes of course he did. Alpha already knew that.</p><p>Alpha is reset. He's tired. That last glittering data on Carolina lingers on his hands. None of this is real. But the Director was getting something out of this that Alpha didn't like.</p><p>He then realizes the simulation is still running. And he hears a loud shot in the distance.</p><p>The Simulation resets.</p><p>Alpha starts to break down. Falling to his knees. So tired. he wanted this to stop.</p><p>The Simulation Resets.</p><p>He falls to his knees.</p><p>The Simulation resets.</p><p>The Simulation resets.</p><p>The simulation resets.</p><p>Alpha screams into the air. "ENOUGH!" He's glitching. Fritzing. Streaching.</p><p>He has two people he needs to save and there's only one him.</p><p>If only there was two of him. Where he can save Carol. And the other takes care of Beta.</p><p>As he runs down the hall. The splintering begins. Alpha doesn't notice.</p><p>All he knows is his mind doesn't want to do this any more. That this is pointless. What is happening in truth is torture. And it will never stop untill Alpha produces a feat impossible with the limitations the Director placed on him in the simulation.</p><p>He darts into the room with Carolina as the door shuts. She's already dead and the data of her simulation is fading to be used again. To simply die before Alpha can save her.</p><p>Because the Director has some sick idea of family importance.</p><p>"Just let me save her.." Alpha says defeated as the world resets.</p><p>Everything feels so much slower as Alpha runs back to the place of choice. He feels like there's an extra pair of feet. But there is no one with him.</p><p>He's glitching red, blue. Green.</p><p>And finally As he maneuvers back into the room with Carolina he sees something Green inside the room of Beta as the doors shut tight.</p><p>Alpha turns to save Carolina and fires at the enemy. </p><p>But realizes there's only one thing in this room.</p><p>Carolina's simulation.</p><p>There's screaming. So much screaming. Even if its not real. That data simulation has her face. His sweet big sister. Who he was never allowed to meet but the memories of her that the Director passed on.</p><p>He knows not even her data deserved to be used like that.</p><p>And worse is the world will reset. And Alpha feels so tired..</p><p>But everything becomes blank and empty. Alpha still has this form. But there's no one there. Where is. </p><p>"Beta?"</p><p>Should he of focused on Beta like the Director wanted. Just so he could end this cruel simulation. </p><p>Yet it seems to of ended now anyway.</p><p>--</p><p>The Director is panting, tense and sore. "Counselor. Maybe you get the Engineer. We have an fragment to extract."</p><p>His fingernails are red.</p><p>And the Counselor simply goes to the other room to retrieve the Engineer and proceed with fixing the new AI.</p><p>--</p><p>Alpha feels like he's going to pull apart again. Or could be that this is what an AI feels like when one needs to throw up after witnessing so much death over and over.</p><p>He can hear The Director and Counselor speak to something he can't see.</p><p>He hears them announce a birthday.</p><p>He doesn't.. remember there being a birthday coming up soon.</p><p>Wait why is here again?</p><p>He knew only moments before.</p><p>Its finally moments to when the Director finally acknowledges him. "How are you feeling, Alpha?"</p><p>"I ... I feel tired. Where am I?"</p><p>"We are running simulations, Alpha. You tired yourself out."</p><p>"Was Carolina in here?"</p><p>"There was a simulation. That is all."</p><p>"I shot her."</p><p>"Because you didn't plan thoroughly. You failed repeatedly because you did not focus on the goal."</p><p>"What was the goal sir?" Alpha says, so tired. And heartbroken. How did he fail. He can't remember. But he feels like he did.</p><p>"You shot her because you did not check to see if there was any actual danger in the room she was in." The Director continues his lecture. "You didn't pay attention to who was actually in danger."</p><p>Alpha is silent. This felt wrong and there's an anger bubbling in his gut. Like he knew there was danger around Carolina's simulation repeatedly there. Then suddenly there was none.</p><p>"We will continue the simulation tomorrow."</p>
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